Promise
by Xfinalfantasies
Summary: Serah is desperate to find what she's missing in life. She needs her sister back and she's willing to give up everything in order to find her. She leaves with a man named Noel Kreiss on a journey to save her missing sister. For some reason she trusts this stranger. Will she find her sister? And, most importantly, will she find herself? ***REWRITTEN VERSION OF "WHAT A GIRL WANTS"
1. What She Wants

_chapter i_

 _003 AF_

It's been three years since the fall of Cocoon. And three years since Lightning disappeared from the world. I saw her. I know I did. And I know she's out there somewhere.

I've been living peacefully in the town of New Bochum on Pulse, with Snow and our friends. It's been about three years and Snow and I still haven't been married. He's been away for months, on a quest to find my sister. I haven't heard from him but I know he's alive, fighting and surviving. My "hero" is too stubborn to die.

I open my eyes and sit up in bed after hearing a loud crash outside. _What's going on?_ I look out of the window and see chaos breaking out on the beach. I grab my bowsword and run out of the house to fight. Kids are running across the beach, panicked and trying not to get attacked by the monsters.

A monster heads for a kid hiding behind a huge rock. Instinctly, I shoot it with my bows. But it doesn't slow the monster down. Instead, the monster starts coming for me.

"Run!" I yell and the kid runs away from the beach, as fast as he can.

I walk backwards, trying to think of something as the monster inches toward me. My bows aren't very effective. Should I try to find a gun instead? Should I run? I don't know.

As I stumble over my feet and think that it's over for me, the monster collapses and begins to disappear. Behind the monster is someone I've never seen before. He runs toward me and grabs my hand to pull me to my feet. "Are you okay?"

I nod before he runs off to kill the monster that remains on the beach. In the distance, I see Snow running toward me. I start running toward him. "Snow!" When I reach him, he scoops me off of my feet and spins around, with me in his arms. He smiles at me before he presses his lips against mine.

"Serah . . . ," he says, putting me down.

"Did you find Lightning?" I ask, looking into Snow's eyes. He shakes his head. My heart drops. I want my sister back. I wish that everything was back to normal and to be back on Cocoon again. I'd give anything for it, but Cocoon is crystallized now, held up by Vanille, Fang, and, possibly, Lightning.

"It's okay," Snow says. "I won't stop looking for her." I nod, praying that he'll find my sister one day.

"Hey boss," calls Maqui, jogging over to us.

"So is anyone gonna tell me what the hell happened tonight?" Snow asks.

Yuj walks over, following behind Maqui. "Well there was this meteor and then a whole bunch of monsters sort of showed up. Weird things happened . . . like part of New Bodhum was in the future. Does that make sense?"

Snow raises his eyebrows. "Not really." Noticing the boy who helped me earlier sitting in the sand, he asks, "Who are you?"

The boy stands up. "Noel," he says. "Noel Kreiss." He turns toward me. "Are you . . . Serah?"

I nod. "How do you know my name?"

"I know your sister," he says. "Lightning. I met her."

My eyes widen. "You know my sister?"

Noel nods.

I walk closer to him. "Where is she?"

"Valhalla," he answers.

"Do you know where it is?"

He shakes his head. "I don't," he says, "but I'm sure there's a way. I traveled through time to get here."

"Don't believe it Serah," says Lebreau. "Lightning is dead. She's gone."

I wonder if I should believe Noel. Deep down, I do believe him. For some reason, I feel like I can trust Noel. Why would he make any of it up? How could he possibly know my sister's name . . . or mine? At least part of what he's said has to be the truth.

"You're a liar," shouts Snow, standing in front of me in a protective stance.

No one believes that Noel is telling the truth. Everyone is just standing there, arms crossed, looking at Noel like an insect.

Noel begins to walk away as everyone mutters amongst themselves. He pauses and turns his head to the side. "I have no reason to lie to any of you." Then he goes off into the night.

I lay in bed, waiting for Snow to come in the room. I hear the water from the bathroom shut off and, a moment later, Snow comes out of the bathroom shirtless, in his boxers.

"Hey there, beautiful," whispers Snow, gently kissing my neck. I smile and respond with a kiss on his lips. Then another. And another. "Getting a little frisky, huh?" he asks.

"Because I love you," I say as I kiss him again and straddle him. "It's been so long."

"How long has it been?" he asks. "Remind me."

I run my fingers across his arms. "Seven months." I sigh. "I want a baby, Snow . . ."

"A baby? I don't think we're ready for a baby, Serah."

"Why not? Every time I bring up having a baby, you always brush it off."

"Look, Serah," he said, sitting upright after I get off of his lap. "We can talk about this later, okay?"

"You always say that. It _is_ later, Snow."

"I don't want any kids now, Serah."

I'm annoyed. We've been going through this for the past two years. I know what I want. "So I'm just supposed to stay with you? You don't want what I want. I can't live like this." I look down at my engagement pendant and my eyes begin to water. Slowly, I remove it from around my neck and place it in Snow's hands. Then I turn my back to him.

"Serah . . ." I don't answer. I just want him to leave. "Don't do this. Please. I love you."

"Just leave," I say.

Snow sighs, but doesn't say anything. He just gets up, puts some clothes on, and leaves the bedroom.

I'm ready to start a family. I need something to fill my empty heart. Because Snow doesn't make me feel like how he used to. Maybe it's the distance. Maybe we need to spend more time together. But if I don't get butterflies like I did a few months ago when he came home, how do I know they'll come tomorrow, or the day after that? And so on and so on.

I want love, of course, but I also want a baby. I want both things. But sometimes I wonder if Snow wants to marry me. If he really wanted to, he would've married me already, wouldn't he? Maybe he doesn't love me as much as I thought. Maybe he met someone during his travels. Marriage is about compromise and sacrifice, but Snow doesn't understand. Even though I don't like all of his ideas, I still go along with the ones that aren't too ridiculous., because I love him.

I love Snow. I don't want to lose him. But why should I stay? Snow is set in his ways. He probably decided a long time ago that he didn't want children. If he doesn't want them now, he won't want them later.

I feel betrayed and hurt. He never told me that he didn't want children. I shouldn't have agreed to marry him. Curling up in a ball, I close my eyes.

The next morning, I find Noel sitting on the pier alone. Everyone here, I suppose, is against him.

"Hi Noel," I say shyly.

"Good morning," he says, with a warm smile.

I sit down next to him, my legs hanging off of the pier. "I believe you, Noel."

"Thanks," he says. "I think I can find your sister for you."

"I want to come with you."

He raises his eyebrows. "Won't your friends be upset? Are you sure?"

I shrug. "Maybe . . . but I have to see my sister. She's all I have."

Noel nods. "Okay. I'll be waiting here. Come back when you're ready."

I stand. "I'll be back soon." Then I walk back toward the house. Inside, everyone is sitting at the table. Lebreau is in the kitchen, making something for breakfast. Snow gets up from his chair when he sees me come in. He follows me into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "Serah . . . I'm sorry. I just . . ."

"It's okay," I say quietly as I gather some things from my drawer. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm leaving."

His eyes widen. "Where are you going?"

"With Noel," I answer. "We're going to the future."

"The future?" he says. "Are you serious? Don't tell me you believe that guy! It's a bunch of crap, Serah."

"Yes," I say. "I do. I came to say good-bye. I don't know when I'll be back."

I walk out of the room and everyone is crowded at the door, clearly eavesdropping.

There is an awkward silence for a few seconds as we all stare at each other.

"You're leaving?" cries Maqui. I nod. "You can't just leave! We'll miss you too much!"

"I'm sorry guys," I say. "This is important to me."

"Good luck," says Yuj. "I'll take care of little Snow for you, okay?"

I nod. "Thanks, Yuj."

Everyone says their goodbyes and I give Snow a small smile before I go to find Noel. As expected, I find him still sitting on the pier. He hears me coming and stands up. The two of us begin walking to the gate.

"Where are you from, Noel?" I ask.

"I'm from the future," he replies. "The future where I'm from is bleak. Here, Cocoon is still in the sky. Where I'm from . . . Cocoon came crashing down way before I was even born. I was the last human left. Everyone else died, one by one, until it was just me."

I can't help but frown. "I'm . . . sorry to hear that."

Slowly, we approach the gate that will take us to the future. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nod. "I want to save my sister . . . and save your future." I take one last look at New Bochum before grabbing onto Noel's arm. Together, we step into the gate, on a journey to save the future.


	2. Missing Piece

010 AF

When I open my eyes, it's dark.

Where am I?

What am I doing here?

Where's Noel?

When my vision focuses, I feel a hand touch mine. "Are you okay?" says Noel's voice.

I nod. "Yeah . . . I'm fine."

"Time travel can be weird the first time," he says.

"For sure. Do you know where we are?" I look around me. Wherever we are, it seems to be nighttime. "Is this an eclipse?"

Noel nods. "I think we're in the Yaschas Massif. This is the home of the Farseers—what's left of it, at least."

"Let's start walking," I say. We don't know where we're going, of course, or what we're looking for, but we're going. I'm determined to find my sister. I _will_ find her. I'll do everything in my power to, even if it means that I have to die. "So you met my sister, huh?"

Noel says, "Yeah. What's she really like?"

"Growing up, we used to get in fights all the time . . . because she was so serious. She grew up quickly. Maybe more quickly than she had to. She's protective of me. She thought I was too young to marry Snow and that I didn't know what I was doing. I mean, despite all of that, I love her. She was all I had. I could tell her all of my secrets and she wouldn't yell at me." I chuckle. "At least, not right away . . ."

Noel frowns. "Are you okay?"

I realize that I'd let a few tears slip through. "I'm okay."

Noel stops in his tracks. "I promise you . . . that we'll find your sister. I'll do everything I can, okay?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you helping me?"

He begins walking again and I follow. "I figured that I should use my life to help people. You have something to live for. You have people that love you. I have nothing. I have no one. I used to think that, maybe, if I died that things would be better off . . . but then, one day, I decided that I didn't want to die."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He continues. "I was the last person alive where I'm from. It was just me, walking the land alone. The world had been dying all along, taking everyone else with it. First my parents, then my grandmother . . . and all of my friends. And . . . Yeul."

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for helping me. We can change the future, Noel, for the both of us, right?"

In the distance, I see a couple of people. Who are they? What are they doing here?

I see someone familiar. I can tell by the way he's walking. _Hope._

It's Hope and I find myself running toward him, faster and faster, with Noel running directly behind me. I haven't seen Hope since Cocoon fell. It's been ten years, making Hope twenty-four years old. I, however, remain twenty-one in this time period. Some guards cut me off, though.

Hope says, "It's okay. I know her."

He walks toward me and I run into his chest to hug him. "Hope! It's been so long . . ."

He pulls away from me, taking me in once more. "I can't believe you're here. How are you here right now? I thought . . ."

Noel walks over, finally catching up with me. I say, "This is Noel. He helped me get here."

They awkwardly shake hands for a second and then a blonde woman with short hair appears at Hope's side. "Hi. I'm Alyssa, Mr. Estheim's assistant." She shakes my hand, and then Noel's.

"Alyssa, why don't you show Noel around?" Alyssa nods and pulls Noel away, into the building. Hope leads me into a different part of the building.

"So how have you been, Hope? What have you been doing all of this time?" I ask as we walk down a long hallway with bright lights.

"I've been pretty good. Can't complain. I've been running the Academy. It's an institute that my father helped start. But I'm in charge now. We've been working on a bunch of things based on science and technology. What about you? How have you been?"

He leads me into a small sitting area and motions for me to have a seat before he disappears. A moment later, he returns with a glass of water. He hands it to me. "Thank you." I take a sip as he sits down next to me. "I'm a teacher. I was living in New Bodhum . . . and now I'm on a mission to find Lightning."

"Do you really think she's alive?"

"I do. Noel met her. He says that she sent him to find me. I have to find her. He said she's in a place called Valhalla. Do you know where it is?"

Hope shakes his head. "I don't." Then Hope smiles. "I hope you find her. I know you will."

"What about the others? Have you seen anyone? Sazh? Snow?"

"Unfortunately, no. I haven't heard from anyone in a long time." He pauses. "I've been working on a way to get Fang and Vanille out of the crystal. I just don't want anything to happen to them . . . and maybe, one day, they'll come back."

"Maybe I can save all of them . . ."

Hope shoots me a smile. "I'm really glad you're here, Serah. At least I have someone I can talk to. Someone I can reminisce with."

I think I blush a little. "You've grown up a lot, Hope. I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah. I'm a lot braver . . . and more responsible than I was before. No longer whiny and scared all of the time," Hope says. "I have your sister to thank for that."

"Same here. The kids I teach sometimes call me 'Meanie Miss Farron.' Maybe I'm too strict. Must've gotten it from Light."

Hope laughs. "I never would've thought sweet Serah could ever be mean."

I smile when I hear those words. Hope is so kind. He's everything that Snow isn't. Hope is gentle. Snow is rough. Hope is so much more different. Am I beginning to like him?

"You and Noel can stay here until you're ready to go Stay as long as you need to. It's no trouble."

"Really? Thanks Hope. That means a lot." Only I'm not so sure I want to leave. I feel so comfortable around Hope. And I want to catch up on what's been going on for the past ten years. I want to know everything.

It seems like just yesterday that Hope was fourteen and innocent. He's matured so much and he's gotten so attractive. He's a man now.

 _I can see why Alyssa seems so eager to help._

A few minutes later, Alyssa and Noel show up. Hope stands from his seat. "Hi, Noel. I was just telling Serah that you two are welcome to stay here if you need to."

Noel nods. "Thank you."

"I can show you to your rooms," Alyssa says. I get up and follow her.

Hope says, "I'll catch up with you later. I've got a couple of things to attend to. Rest up!"

Alyssa leads us downstairs, where the dormitories are.

"So how long have you been working for the Academy?" I ask, in order to break the silence. Noel is usually sort of quiet, but he seems to be less talkative than usual.

"For about a year," she says. "I was eager to learn . . . and then I found out about the Academy. I sort of just ended up here." We turn a corner. "Rooms 122 and 123 . . . or do you just one?"

I can feel my face get a little hot. "We're not together. It's not like that."

"Sorry," Alyssa says, laughing it off. "I wasn't sure . . ." She clears her throat. "Are you hungry? I can bring you something, if you like."

Noel shakes his head. "No thanks."

I say, "Yeah . . . I'm not hungry."

"Just let me know if you need anything." She gives us one last smile before handing us key cards and walking off.

"Are you tired?" I ask Noel.

"A little bit . . ."

Noel smiles. "Get some sleep . . ."

"Goodnight, Noel."

"Night, Serah."

I toss and turn in the bed. I can't fall asleep. My thoughts are jumbled and all over the place. I roll over onto my back.

I feel overcome with sadness. I miss Snow. I never wanted to leave him, but I had to. Tears start falling down my cheeks and I almost knock on Noel's door. I hesitate and find myself walking toward Hope's room.

I knock on the door softly, hoping that he's awake. He comes to the door in a T-shirt and plaid pajama pants. When he sees me, he frowns. "Serah, are you okay?" I shake my head. "Come in."

I sit down at the foot of his bed and cross my legs. "I broke up with Snow . . ." I wipe my tears and Hope sits down next to me.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hope says sincerely. "Is there something I can do?" I shake my head no. Hope doesn't say anything for a long time, but I can feel him looking at me still. "Do you want to stay here tonight?"

I nod. "I just feel so alone . . ."

Hope shakes his head and takes my hand in his. "You're not. I'm here for you. I'm sure your friend, Noel, is too."

"Thanks. I just didn't want to be alone tonight."

"No problem." Then he does something that takes me by surprise. Hope removes his hands from my grasp and leans in to press his lips against mine. Then he pulls away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that . . . with everything that you have going on."

I say, "It's okay."

"Can I kiss you again?" I nod and he obliges. I let him kiss me. His mouth is warm and the kiss feels right. When we pull apart, Hope smiles. "I've always had a crush on you, Serah. Did you know that?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Since I was fourteen. And I spent ten years wondering if I'd ever see you again. Ten years wondering if when I did, you'd still be with Snow . . . Ten years wondering if you and I could be together . . . Ten years wondering if you'd ever like me back."

"I think I do like you."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one. Well, in this time, I'd be twenty-eight."

"I guess that makes you a cougar, huh?" He jabs me in the side.

I giggle. "I guess so."

A few seconds of silence go by. "Are you tired?"

I nod. I am tired—mentally and emotionally. He pulls back the sheet and the blankets for me and motions for me to get under them. I crawl under the sheets and Hope gives me one last kiss before going toward the loveseat in the corner. "Will you sleep in the bed with me?"

Hope turns to me. He just smiles and says, "Sure." Then he climbs into bed next to me. "Goodnight, Serah."

"Goodnight, Hope." I close my eyes and drift off into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Waking Up

010 AF

I open my eyes and hear shower water running. I roll over and find that Hope isn't there.

I start thinking about last night. _Hope and I kissed._ I almost can't believe it. The thought makes me smile. No one has made me feel so happy in a long time. The happiness I thought I felt with Snow isn't the same as what I feel for Hope. I guess I had no idea that I wasn't happy.

Hope emerges from the bathroom, along with steam. He comes out with his pants already on, showing off his abs and chest. His skin is pale, probably from the lack of sun and seemingly permanent eclipse. He has some muscles, I notice, and his hair is wet from the shower.

"Good morning," he says with a small smile.

"Good morning," I say.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me sleep here."

"You're welcome . . ."

"I should go," I start.

"I'll see you for breakfast, right?" he said. "The dining hall is upstairs."

"Yeah, of course." I get out of the bed and start to make it.

"You don't have to do that." He comes over and presses his lips to mine.

"I'll see you soon . . ."

I smile at him before I turn on my heels and walk out of the door. I gently shut the door and turn around to find Noel walking down the hallway.

 _Damn it._ I try to keep a straight face even though I'm embarrassed. "Morning, Noel."

"Morning," he says, seemingly unbothered. "I just came from your room and you weren't there. Did you just come out of Hope's room?"

I keep my cool. "Um, yeah . . . we were just talking for a bit."

Noel gives me a look but doesn't say anything. He must suspect something. I shouldn't feel bad about it. All we did is kiss and sleep in the same bed. For some reason, I feel so guilty. "Well hurry up and get ready for breakfast. I'm starving."

Noel and I have been searching for answers. We almost have everything we need to move on and try the gate again. Hope showed us the Oracle Drive, making me even more determined to find my sister. I know she's out there somewhere. Even if no one else believes me, I know that my sister is out there, alive, somewhere in the future, or maybe even the past.

Noel and I will probably be leaving soon. I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave Hope behind. I'm really starting to like him a lot. He's so smart, so driven . . . He's everything I could ever want in a man. I love being around him. He makes me feel so good. Every day, he tells me that I'm beautiful. I feel so special when I'm with him.

I've spent the past two nights with him, sneaking out before people started waking up. Hope says that it's not a big deal and that it doesn't have to be some big secret but I'm not comfortable with anyone knowing just yet. And Hope is okay with that.

I think that I'm nervous about Noel knowing. If he knows then he'll know why I've been hesitant. He'll know why we haven't really been spending as much time together. And I feel like he'll judge me. How will he take it if he knows that Hope and I are sort of seeing each other?

I think about Snow for a moment. How would _he_ take it? I'm sure he'd want to attack Hope. They've had their ups and downs in the past, while they were trying to free me from my crystal stasis. I feel like that's my fault. Everything, in a way, had been my fault.

I brush the thoughts of Snow out of my mind and think of Hope again. Hopefully he doesn't think that I came on to him because I had a bad break up. That's not it. I actually do like him. And he likes me back.

I wonder what would've happened if I never accepted Snow's proposal before all of this ever happened. What then? _Would_ any of this be happening now? Would I have met Noel? Would I have connected with Hope again?

NOEL

Something's different about Serah. I can feel it any time she walks into a room. When I first met her, she seemed kind of sad. Now she seems to be happier. Maybe it's because of Hope. They seem to be friends but I think that there's something more going on between them.

But she's been acting kind of strange too. I don't understand why. Ever since we got here, she's been acting very anxious.

I hear Serah's door close around eleven that night. I peek my head out of my own door and watch as Serah walks slowly down the hallway and around the corner. Because I'm curious, I follow her and wait at the corner, hidden from her view.

I watch as she knocks on Hope's door. He opens it a few seconds later. "Hey there," he says and leans forward to kiss her. Then they go in the room and close the door behind them.

 _No wonder._

Deep down, I'm hurt. For some reason, I like Serah. I just met her a couple of days ago, but she seems like the kind of girl I'd go for. She's beautiful, funny, and a little stubborn. I genuinely enjoy every moment I've spent with her. It feels nice to have a friend. It's been so long since I've actually had a friend. All of my friends died, long ago.

I've thought about telling her how I feel about her but now I realize that there isn't any hope for me. _Not when she's with Hope._ I don't know much about their past relationship. I just know that they know each other from the past, from before the fall of Cocoon.

Hope is a nice guy. He seems genuine so far. I prefer Hope over Serah's ex-fiancée, Snow. Snow seems to be short-tempered. Serah doesn't need a guy like that. Even though it hurts, I'm happy that Serah is happy. She deserves to be happy.

SERAH

"So why'd you and Snow break up anyway? I never thought anything would tear you two apart," Hope says as he runs his fingers through my hair. He clears his throat and adds, "If you don't mind me asking . . ."

I say, "We didn't want the same things . . . so I broke up with him."

"That's it?"

"We got into a pretty bad argument. We've been having the same argument for a while. I wanted a baby. Well, I still do . . . and he said that he doesn't want one."

"That's not really fair, is it? I mean, what if it happened anyway? What would he have done? Left you?"

"I don't know . . ."

"You want a baby that bad, huh?"

"I think so. It's just that having a baby is one of the most beautiful things the world has to offer."

"I agree with you. I want a child or two some day," Hope said. I smile. The thought of leaving this place and Hope is making me sad. Hope turns to me. "Are you okay, Serah?"

I bite my lip. "It's just . . . when we find what we need to unlock the gate, Noel and I will move on and leave this place. I don't want to go."

He kisses my forehead. "It won't be goodbye forever, Serah. You can come back here if you want to . . . or I could come with you."

"But what if things change? What if you don't remember that we met again?"

He kisses my lips. "Then you'd just have to remind me."

"You'd come with us though? What about the Academy? All your hard work?"

"I can continue my research no matter where I go. If I'm with you, I won't mind. I want to be with you, Serah."

"I want to be with you, too."

I wake up the next morning with Hope's arms around me. He's still asleep. He stirs when I shift in the bed. He slowly opens his eyes and smiles when he sees me.

"Good morning, beautiful," he says in a yawn.

I smile and kiss his cheek. "Morning, sleepyhead." I get out of bed and stretch. "I'm gonna go get dressed and find Noel, okay?"

He smiles at me. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," I say and walk out of the door.

I go back to my room and quickly change. Then I knock on Noel's door. To my surprise, he's already dressed.

"Good morning," he says.

"Morning." I notice the dark circles under his eyes. "You don't look so good."

"Didn't sleep so well . . . ," he mutters. "Come in?" I step into Noel's room and sit down in the armchair while Noel makes the bed. "Do you trust me?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

"You've been acting kinda weird."

I don't know what to say. "I . . ."

"You don't have to hide your relationship with Hope." He clears his throat and sits down on the bed. "It's okay. I saw you with him last night. Is he the reason you don't want to leave?"

"I'm sorry. I just . . . I've been through so much with Snow and the break up. And, I don't know, I feel like a slut for seeing Hope."

"You're not Serah," he says. "You're far from it. Are you happy?"

She nods. "I haven't felt like this in a long time."

"I'm not mad at you. I just felt kind of lonely lately."

"I'm sorry, Noel. I promise I'll spend more time with you . . ."

"So what's next? After we find the artefact?"

"I guess we leave and move on to another time."

"Are you sure? We can stay a little while longer, if that's what you want?"

I consider it. I really want to stay. I don't want to leave Hope here. _Was he serious about coming with us?_ "I just need a couple more days . . ."

"Deal," Noel says, coming across the room to shake my hand.


	4. An Unexpected Past

010 AF

It's my last night here. Noel and I are leaving tomorrow. It's time to leave and start my journey to find my sister. I don't feel whole without her. There's something missing and I've been searching for that missing piece for the past three years.

I lay next to Hope, with his arms wrapped around me and his head resting in the crook of my neck. I feel his breath on my skin.

"We're going to solve the paradox," I begin. "If we can change the future, we might be able to create a better past."

Hope doesn't say anything for a moment, making me wonder whether he fell asleep.

"I'm going to help you, too," says Hope suddenly. "I'm going to help you find Lightning. And I'm going to get Hope and Vanille back . . ."

I smile. I wish that things could go back to the way things were—the way things were right after Cocoon turned to crystal. _If only . . ._ Except, I wouldn't have ended up with Hope. And I never would've met Noel.

If you'd asked me about time travel a couple of months ago, I probably would've said that it's impossible. But here I am, traveling through time with Noel Kreiss, a young man from the future. Even though no one in New Bodhum believed his story and his purpose, I did. I didn't doubt him.

I know what it's like to be doubted. You feel dumb, hopeless, and alone. You feel like your voice means nothing . . .

"Serah?"

I turn over on my side so that I can face him. "Yeah?"

"Do you think that I'll see you again?"

I nod. "Of course . . ."

"What if I don't remember that we met? What if I don't remember our first kiss?"

I press my lips to his. "Then I'll just have to remind you . . ."

"Serah," he says slowly, taking my hand in his. Even in the dim light, I can see his green eyes shimmer. "I think I'm falling in love with you . . ."

His words make my heart flutter. "I am too."

"I won't hurt you," he says. "I promise."

NOEL

I've been thinking a lot about my past. I've been thinking about my future, too.

After we find Lightning, _if_ we can find her, what's going to happen then? Serah will have what she was looking for. But what will I have? I suppose I'd feel good, with helping her and all, but what is my future going to be like? Will Serah forget about me once she has her sister back? Will she need me anymore? Will she want me as a friend?

My worst fear is loneliness. Growing up, I lost everyone that I've ever cared about. My parents . . . My friends . . . My grandparents. Everyone I'd come to know and care for was taken from me. The world I grew up in was dead. Hundreds of years into the future, the world was dead. I don't want to lose anyone else, especially not Serah.

Serah is my only friend in this world. If I lose her, I lose everything. Without a friend, without a person to talk to, I'll lose my sense of purpose.

I picture Yeul in my head. She was so young . . . so gentle. She hadn't had a chance to live her life. I'd do anything just to see my friend again. I'd do anything to hear her laugh . . . to see her smile.

On this journey, I hope to find Lightning. And on this journey, I can only hope that we can change the future.

I turn around as Serah gives Hope one last hug. A pang of jealousy hits my heart, but I ignore it. I can't let my feelings for Serah get in the way of things.

She comes up behind me, nudging me in the side. "Ready?"

I nod. "Yeah . . . To Valhalla!" I step through the gate without looking back. I feel Serah behind me as we're thrown into the void of time. Serah and I float through the timeline, waiting to see where time takes us. I wonder where we'll end up. Hopefully, we'll end up in Valhalla and we can save Lightning from her fate.

I close my eyes. I feel my feet hit the ground and the world around me slowly begins to materialize.

Immediately, my heart drops. We're in my world—the Dying World. I'm not sure what year it is. I'm not sure if anyone has started dying yet. My legs begin moving, almost involuntarily, and I start running toward the village.

"Noel," calls Serah, "Wait!"

Mog says, "Wait for _me_ , kupo!"

I don't stop running. I can't. I have to know. _Is anyone alive? Yeul? Caius?_ _My parents?_ I think again. _Was I born yet? Is this a time before I was born? Is it after everyone died? A time after 700 AF?_

In the distance, I see people walking. I can feel a smile breaking out across my face. It's been so long since I've seen people here. A tear of overwhelming joy escapes my eyes.

I stop in my tracks and take it all in. It's midday and the sun hangs high in the sky. A group of children run past me. None of them look very familiar.

Serah and Mog finally catch up with me. "Where are we?"

"The Dying World," I reply.

She raises her eyebrows. "Is this where you lived?"

I nod. "I think it's a different time. The past . . ." A girl walks past me and she catches my eye. "Hey!"

The girl turns to me. She looks around nine or ten years old. She's pretty tall for her age, I think. She smiles. "Hi . . ."

"What's your name?"

"Maia," she replies. My eyes widen. _I'm talking to my mother._ I'm at a loss for words. I can't look her in the eyes now. They're the same as my own. She comes a little closer to me and puts her hand on my arm. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "What year is it?"

"674 AF. Are you sure you're okay? Are you traveling?"

"Yeah." I turn to Serah. "We're traveling."

She points to the town square. "The market is over there if you have stuff to sell." She smiles and tilts her head to the side. "You look familiar. Have you been here before?"

I nod, trying my best to hold in my emotions. "I have . . ."

She laughs. "You look like we could be my brother . . ." _I'm from the future. I'm your son . . ._

A little boy who appears close to her age, maybe a little older, taps her shoulder. "Maia! We gotta go now!"

"I'll be right there, Kaden!" she calls after him as he begins walking off. She turns to me. "Well, I gotta get back to school. I hope you make a lot of money!" She waves to us before running after her friend. _My father . . ._

Again, I can't speak. If I do speak, what do I say? I just met my parents in the past. Serah speaks up, reminding me that she's still here. "Noel, what's wrong?"

"That was my mother," I say, "and my father."

"We're in the past . . ."

I nod. "Before everyone started dying . . ."

My memories of my parents begin to resurface. I vaguely remember my childhood years. Birthday parties, going to school, my friends , learning how to hunt with my father, and gathering with my mother. It was all taken from me too soon. I was only fifteen when they died. My mother was first to go, then my dad. A few months after living with my grandmother, she died too.

Everyone I knew was dead by the time I turned seventeen. I'd been living on my own since then. There was no one to talk to. Every day was a struggle to find purpose. Every day I wondered why I should live on. With no people, there wasn't anyone who would miss me. There wasn't anyone to notice that I was gone.

I have to go to my grandmother's house. I have to see her. What does she look like? Is my grandfather still alive? There's so much I want to know.

I turn to Serah. "I want to see my grandparent's house."

"I'll wait here for you," Serah replies, kicking a rock with her boot.

I shake my head. "Would you mind coming with me?" I could use a friend.

Serah smiles. "Of course."

I start toward my grandparents' house. It's still there, looking how it always has, with the crooked front door and the reed mat in front of it. The door opens and the woman I assume to be my grandmother comes out, with a basket of handmade things. I remember her selling scarves, bracelets, and hats at the market when I was younger.

My grandmother is so young, probably in her early thirties. She has long black hair that's braided and blue eyes. Even though my mother doesn't have may of her features, I can still see the resemblance. I watch the house for a moment, hoping to see my grandfather.

Like clockwork, he walks toward the house and opens the door with a bag used for hunting. He's just caught dinner, I suppose. I recall the memories of going hunting with my father. It's the little things that count and I'd do anything to have it all back.

I stare at the man. I don't have many memories of him since he was one of the first people to die of the sickness, but his face does look familiar.

"Are you okay?" Serah asks when the door shuts behind him.

I nod. "I'm okay . . ." Then I start walking around some more. I'm not looking for anything in particular. I just walk because there are so many people living here compared to when I was growing up.

In my peripheral vision, I see familiar blue hair. I turn quickly and Yeul is staring directly at me. I freeze as she walks slowly toward me, as if she sees nothing else except for me.

I finally find some words. "Yeul . . ."

She says, "I am not the Yeul you know." She stands right before me, a much younger version of Yeul, maybe thirteen years old. I know in my heart that there are many Yeuls born again and again but I still want to reach for her and hug her and tell her that I've missed her. Seeing her again makes me want to cry. She was one of the last people I knew to die. "You must stop."

"What?" Serah asks.

Yeul turns to Serah. "You must stop altering the timeline." She pushes her hair back. "If you change the future, you change the past."

"What do you mean?" I ask. "Has the past been changed?"

Yeul just gives me a small smile before walking away and vanishing into thin air.

Now I feel as lost as ever. _If you change the future, you change the past._ What did she mean by that? Did she mean that we've already changed things? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Honestly, I'm not sure I want to know the answer.


	5. The Void Beyond

010 AF

SERAH

We're in the place that Noel grew up in. It's called the Dying World. It's the place he was born and the place where everyone around him started dying out, one by one, little by little.

It must be hard for him . . . being here. I can only imagine the pain and sadness he must feel. There is an emptiness in his eyes that wasn't there before. He's like a dead man walking. We haven't said much to each other since we checked into the inn. I want to talk to him but I don't know what to say to him. He'll talk to me at some point, I figure, and maybe he'll open up to me.

I want Noel to trust me. I want him to be able to talk to me. Even when I barely knew him, I trusted him for some reason. That doesn't happen too often with me. He was a complete stranger and I put my trust and faith in him before stepping through that gate.

Noel is such a kind person. He puts himself before everyone else. He'll do anything to protect the people he cares about. I can tell that he's that kind of person. He's the kind of person who would give you his last piece of bread even though he's still hungry.

Noel comes out of the bathroom and plops down on his bed. He turns his head to the side while he puts his socks on. "Are you hungry? I can go out and get something . . ."

I shake my head. "I'm okay. Thanks, Noel."

He lets out a sigh. "I'm sorry I've been distant since we got here . . ."

"It's okay," I reply. "I understand."

"It's just hard . . .," he says, "coming here and seeing all these people. The world I grew up in didn't have so many. It wasn't so lively or happy. When I went to bed, there was someone that would be found dead when I woke up. That was how a lot of my childhood was spent. At ten, you shouldn't have to live like that."

I understand. I haven't experienced it obviously, but I know where he's coming from. "I know. We're going to find a way to stop all of this. Maybe we can prevent the world from dying. We can change the future, Noel. We can change it all."

"But Yeul said . . ."

"What if Yeul was wrong? What if we change the past and the future, for the better?"

Noel puts his hand on his chin and throws himself back on the bed so that he's facing the ceiling. "Maybe . . ."

Noel is already awake when I open my eyes. I roll over and see him pulling out food from a paper bag. I sit up in bed and rub sleep from my eyes.

He scratches his head. "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

I shake my head. "It's okay . . . What is that?"

"It's a rice soup with meat and vegetables," he says. "I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. I wonder if it tastes better."

I get out of bed and walk over to the table where Noel is sitting. I sit in the chair next to him and Noel passes me a bowl of the soup, along with a piece of bread. It smells great.

Noel takes a huge spoonful of the soup and shouts. "Damn it! Hot!" I can't help but laugh. When he recovers, he says, "I'm glad you find comedy in my misery."

I smile. "Well if you weren't being so greedy . . ."

Noel raises his eyebrows. "Me? Greedy? Nuh uh."

I chuckle and raise my spoon to my lips. "Maybe next time you should blow first."

Noel sucks his teeth and blows his soup before he puts it in his mouth.

NOEL

I'm glad we came here, despite all the painful memories. I'm glad I got to see my parents and my grandparents. Even seeing them in their younger years, before I even came to existence, made me happy. I'm just glad that Serah was here with me. I don't know what I would've done if I came here alone.

We stand in front of the gate. I hope that, this time, on the other side there are some answers. I don't know where we're going. And I don't know where this gate will lead us, but I'm hoping that it will lead us to Valhalla. I promised Lightning that I would find Serah and take care of her. And I also promised Serah that we'd find Lightning. I can only hope that I can keep both of these promises. I don't want to let Serah down.

"Ready?" I ask.

Serah nods and shoots me a smile. Then she grabs my hand and we go through the gate together. Soon enough, we're floating through time in space, her hand still clutching mine. Her touch feels good. It feels like this is how it's supposed to be. _But I know that it never will be._

A moment later, the darkness slips aside. When my feet finally touch the ground, Serah is no longer holding my hand. Serah is . . . _gone_.

SERAH

"Where . . . are we?" I say aloud. I glance over my shoulder and find that Noel isn't there. Noel is nowhere to be found. "Noel? Mog?" There's no response.

Everything around me is blurred and pulsing. It's a paradox.

I walk ahead, hoping to find some answers. In this place, there's no sound. I don't hear people. I can only hear my footsteps pressing on the stone beneath my feet.

I'm scared. If I can't find Noel, what will I do? Where could he be? I was holding onto him just a minute ago and now he's gone like he never existed. _Where am I? Where's Noel?_ _Will I be able to find him? How do I get out of here?_

As I walk, I feel so hopeless and lost. _I'll never find my sister._ I'm tempted to sit down and curl up into a ball and cry. As I approach a set of steps, I see Yeul. _Yeul?_ I start running up the steps. She'll be able to tell me what's going on. She'll have answers. She has to.

I approach her. "You're Yeul, aren't you?"

The girl nods. "Yes. I am one of many Yeuls. From your perspective, I ama Yeul from the ancient past."

"But where are we?" I ask. "Are we . . . trapped in this place?"

"I am not truly here. I only watch events from a distant time." She pauses for a moment. "This place? It is a shadow of Valhalla. In the depths of the Unseen Realm, I see you held prisoner."

Shadow of Valhalla? What does that mean? Does that mean I can find my sister? And what does she mean by prisoner? "A shadow of Valhalla? What kind of world is Valhalla, then?"

"It is a place where all stands still. It is the future that follows destruction. A world where even time is no longer."

My heart drops. "Are you saying that I can't ever leave this place?"

"If you do not escape, the dream will go on forever."

Then Yeul starts to fade. "Wait!" But it's too late. Yeul is gone, leaving me where I stand.

I sigh and keep walking, hoping that I can find a way out of here. What did Yeul mean? Is this all a dream, an illusion?

I see Yeul again at the top of another set of steps. But there are fiends blocking my way. I put an arrow through each of them, eliminating them from afar. Then I hurry to Yeul.

"Yeul?" I say.

She smiles. "You have not met me yet. I call your present age my home. You and I are the same. We are blessed by Etro; her chosen servants."

I raise my eyebrows. "Servants of the goddess?"

"The power to step outside the timeline. The power to witness the future. These gifts come from Etro. Her servants are known by her blessings."

"My sister is also somewhere in Valhalla? What's her part in all this?"

"The warrior? She stands guard over Etro's temple. She is unable to leave the Unseen Realm. And so, she turned to you for aid."

Just as quickly as she came, Yeul is gone again and I'm alone. Again, I see her. I'm starting to wonder if I'm going crazy now.

I sigh. "Are you . . . another Yeul?"

"Yes. I am from my future you have never known."

"Very soon my presence here will fade. There is little time to tell you of the things I have seen." She walks toward the edge of the ruins, looking out into space. "The goddess Etro saw that the l'Cie fulfilled their tasks. She saw their courage and took pity on them. She blessed the six, and the one, and one other, a child. And so she released them from the prison of crystal."

My heart drops. "You mean it was the _goddess_ who saved us that day?"

Yeul turns to face me. Yes. But in doing so, she warped time itself. Etro was fading away . . . and she could not restore it. But perhaps you had the power to repair the distortion. And perhaps you did."

I scratch my head. "Perhaps I did? What do you mean? Is it too late now?"

As Yeul begins to dissipate, she says, "The future. I can no longer see it."

None of the Yeuls I've spoken to have helped me find a way out of here. How can I escape the Void Beyond? And how can I reunite with Noel again? Will I ever be able to leave?

At the top of the ruins, I find Yeul again. "You're Yeul too," I say, walking slowly toward her. "Which era do you come from?"

"I am the one who lives in all the ages. I am the one who dies and all the ages. I am the one who suffers countless partings, again and again."

"Did you come here to tell me something?"

"You summoned me here. In this place, you can see all your hearts desires come true."

"I don't . . . understand."

"This is the place where all time flows. The dreams of humanity are here washed ashore. A world without beginning or end . . . A world closed upon itself . . ." She looks at me, a curious expression on her face. " _Why_ do you want to change time? Why do you try to stand in his way? Why do you continue on this journey?" Her question catches me off guard. She grabs hold of my arm. "As you change the timeline, you come closer to death." She lowers her voice. "But, now, your journey is over." I hear her voice mixed in with Caius'.

I gasp and turn to find Caius standing behind me. I run toward him, taking aim with my bowsword but he vanishes before I get close. I can feel him behind me.

He says, "You fight bravely." I try to get him by surprise but, again, he vanishes. I look around and he's nowhere. "Noel gave up much more quickly than this."

I furrow my brows when I spot him, sitting on Etro's throne. "What have you done to him?"

"He is living in a time and place where he only knows joy. He acknowledged his defeat, and now he is at peace."

A blast of wind knocks me backward, sending me crashing into the ground. I shake my head. "No, I don't believe you. Noel would never give in to you!" I manage to get to my feet and aim for his head with one of my arrows.

Somehow, time stops. I can't move. I can only hear Caius' voice. "Child of miracles. Traveler of time, guided by Etro. Listen to me. Each time you fulfill a wish of your heart, someone else's dream is shattered. You conjure miracles, but when you do, the seeds of tragedy or sown into other lives. Are you prepared to bear that burden? That responsibility?"

Time resumes and I'm thrown against a column, with another burst of energy. On my knees, struggling to regain my composure, I say, "But why Caius? Why do you fight us?"

Caius steps on my bowsword before I can grab it. "To save her." He pauses. "Long ago, the goddess Etro rescued you and your friends from your fate as l'Cie. For you, it was a miracle. For Yeul, a sentence of death. In that moment, immutable history was transformed. Time was twisted. With each distortion of the future, the life of the seeress was cut short. So often have I seen this . . . Seen her wilt before my eyes. When time is in flux, the future changes, and Yeul is consumed." He balls his fist. "So I will dam the river of time . . . and tear down the foundations of history. Only then will Yeul's suffering come to an end."

My lips part. "You're going to destroy history just so you can save Yeul?"

Caius nods. "Yes. You have interfered with my task at every turn." He raises his sword and puts it to my chin. "But your meddling is over. I will slay the goddess and return everything to Valhalla. In a place without time or future, Yeul will be free for all eternity." Then, a blade pierces my body. "Surrender now to your heart's desire."

Then the world goes black.


	6. Beautiful Nightmare

**SERAH**

My eyes flutter open and Caius is gone. I was stabbed. I should be dead. _What happened to me? Was I sent to another time?_

I blink a few times and realize that I'm back in New Bodhum. I'm in my bed at the NORA house. I sit up in bed as there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say.

Hope opens the door and he smirks, leaning on the door frame. How is he here? What year is it? "Did you fall asleep in your clothes, _again_?"

I look down. Like Hope said, I'm still in my clothes. I don't have any wounds from Caius' blade either. This is strange. "Guess I did . . ."

He walks over to me and kisses my forehead. "Come on," he says. "It's Vanille's turn to make breakfast."

My lips part. " _Vanille_? She's here?"

"Yeah," he says, taking my hand. "Come on. Everyone's waiting on you since you slept the latest." I take Hope's hand and follow him out toward the dining room. The hallway smells of bananas and warmth.

My eyes widen. I'm staring at my sister. "About time you woke up." She gives me a faint smile.

I break into a run and crash into her. "Lightning!"

She wraps her arms around me, returning my embrace, with raised eyebrows. "Did you miss me from just last night?"

I nod. "Yeah . . . I did."

Then I look in the kitchen and find Vanille and Fang. Vanille smiles at me. "Hi, Serah! I'm making banana French toast . . . from scratch!"

Fang chimes in, "With my help, of course."

I almost can't believe it. They're really here, standing in front of me. Maybe Noel and I changed time, making this possible. But if that's true, where is Noel? _Is he in New Bodhum somewhere?_

"How have you been?" I ask.

Fang nods. "Just peachy. Pulse is as good as it's gonna get."

Then I look through the window. Cocoon is crystallized still, this time without Vanille and Fang trapped inside and holding it up.

Then I hear a familiar voice. "I heard Vanille's cooking." I run to the front door. Sazh and Dahj are here.

Maqui chuckles. "Hopefully Vanille's gotten better since last time . . ."

"Hey!" Vanille comes out of the kitchen with a spoon, waving it at him. "I'm not a bad cook! I knew what I was doing!"

Yuj says, "Yeah. _After_ Lebreau came to the rescue!"

Vanille's face turns red and she stomps back into the kitchen. I can't help but giggle.

"I heard you slept in, too." Sazh winks at me.

I smile. "Just a little."

Then Snow walks in from outside. He takes off his coat and puts it on the rack. "Morning sleepyhead."

"Morning," I say. I look down at my neck. The engagement necklace isn't there. He doesn't have his either. We're clearly not engaged anymore.

I look over at Hope and he smiles at me. He still makes me feel the same. I think I'm really falling for him. I want Hope and only Hope.

Breakfast is great. All of my friends are together in one place. There are no worries other than a fiend or two every now and then. Everyone seems genuinely happy. Even Snow seems happy that Hope and I are together. No one mentions our previous relationship. I suppose it's possible that we never got together in the first place.

After we finish eating, I go on a walk with Lightning. We end up on the pier. Lightning crosses her arms and stares out into the clear blue water. I sigh.

"What?" she says.

"Can I tell you something?"

Lightning nods. "You can tell me anything."

"This all seems too good to be true. It's like . . . I'm in a dream. You're not supposed to be here . . ."

Lightning's facial expression doesn't change. "I'm here because you want me to be."

 _In this place, you can see all your heart's desires come true._ I recall Yeul's words. Is this really a dream?

"What? Is all of this real?"

Lightning turns to face me. "You've changed history, and you're back where you belong. This is it. Your adventure's over." She reaches out her hand. "Serah, come with me. Your family's waiting."

I hear a voice. "Don't do it, Serah." Noel? I look around me. Everything around us has become a blur. It's almost as if time has stopped. Noel stands next to my sister. "Serah! This isn't real."

Is all of this in my head? I take a step forward, but hesitate.

Who do I choose? I should trust Lightning. She's my sister. She wouldn't hurt me. But, then again, Noel wasn't here before? Where did he come from?

This isn't right. This isn't how things are supposed to be. My journey isn't over. _It can't be._ But, at the same time, everyone is here. Everyone I care about is right here. Hope, Lightning, NORA . . . This is home. This is the place I can finally be happy. Would it really be that bad to stay here, in this dream?

Lightning looks into my eyes, waiting for me to take her hand. "What do you say?"

Noel looks at me, desperation filling his blue eyes. "Serah . . . don't do this." I look at Noel. When I turn to look at my sister, she's gone and we're surrounded by the chaos. "Serah, you have to wake up. Serah, please . . . wake up from this dream."

I do what I think is right. I grab onto Noel's hand. Everything around us dissolves and turns to black.

 **NOEL**

Serah lies across me, her head in my lap. I shake her but she's not responding. Is she dead? _Please don't be dead._ "Serah!"

If she dies, it'll be my fault. I'll have broken my promise. I'm supposed to be protecting her. I shouldn't have brought her here. I should've went searching for Lightning myself. I should've left Serah behind. Bringing her with me has put her in danger.

"Serah . . . please wake up." Slowly, but surely, as if on cue, Serah opens her eyes. She's alive. "Serah . . ."

She gasps and she sits up, frantic and scared. "What's happening? Is this still a dream?"

I shake my head. "You're safe now. I don't know where we are, but we're safe." I grab onto Serah and hug her. "I thought . . . you were gone." Tears are falling and I honestly can't help it. I don't care. "I-I thought I was going to be alone."

Serah shakes her head. There are tears in her eyes, too. "I won't leave you . . ."

I cry into Serah's shoulder and she lets me. She rubs my back while I cry and doesn't move away from me. I rarely cry but the fear of being alone took over. I'm comfortable enough around Serah to set my emotions free. It scares me and it comforts me, at the same time. The more time I spend with Serah, the more I like her. And it's hopeless because she doesn't feel the same way. She likes Hope and, well, I'm not him.

"Are you okay?" she asks as I wipe my eyes.

I nod. "I'm okay."

"Did you save me from that dream?"

Again, I nod. "Yeah."

"Thank you, Noel."

I stand up. "You're welcome." I reach out my hand. Serah takes it and I pull her up. Are you okay?" Serah hesitates. "It's okay if you're not . . ."

Serah says, "It felt so real. I almost wanted to stay. If you hadn't shown up, I probably would have." She puts her head in her hands and says, "I would've been trapped there forever . . . without a clue." Serah's eyes widen and she's in a daze for a few seconds, stumbling back.

I catch her before she can fall. "Serah . . ."

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry."

"Are you sure?"

Serah nods. I know she's lying to me. She won't look at me. I don't want to push her—not right now. To change the subject, she points to a sign nearby. "Welcome to . . . Academia?"

I put my hand on my chin. "The Academy is here. Do you think Hope and Alyssa might be around here somewhere?"

Serah shrugs. "Maybe . . . but wouldn't they have died by now?

"Good point," I say. "Guess we'll just have to find out."

Serah grabs my hand, pulling me out of the alley we were in. "Come on! Let's see what's here!"

Academia is a beautiful city. I've heard about it but never actually seen a picture. What I knew about it is by word of mouth. Time traveling has allowed me to see so much. _So many things that I've never gotten to see._ Where I'm from was a desolate wasteland by the time I was old enough to start remembering things. We didn't have much technology. It's funny how we reverted back to primitive times.

I wonder what would've happened if Cocoon never fell in the first place. If it would've stayed up in the sky. I never would've met Serah. I might not have met Yeul or Caius. Maybe I wouldn't exist in the first place. Maybe I would've been living on Cocoon, as someone else, in a different body.

"Excuse me," says Serah, approaching a woman pushing her baby in a stroller. "Do you know how to get inside the Academy Headquarters?"

She smiles. "Yeah. Just go straight down those steps right there. Make sure you don't take anything in there you aren't supposed to. They'll give you a hard time." She chuckles. "My husband was in there for _two_ hours because he was carrying a pocketknife."

Serah smiles back at her. "Thank you! Have a great day." She returns to me. "What are _you_ smiling about?"

 _Because you're so beautiful. Because I want to tell you how I feel about you. I want to hold on to you tightly and never let go. I don't want you to love Hope._

I shake my head. "It's, er, nothing. Let's go see if Hope and Alyssa are here. Maybe they figured out how to time travel. Alyssa told me about a project that they were working on . . . to try to travel through time. Maybe it worked."

Serah nods and she leads the way to the Academy Headquarters.


End file.
